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First heaven
The First heaven is described in 2 Enoch 3-6 as an ether having a very great Sea above the clouds that have terrible treasure-store-houses of snow. First heaven 'The great sea' The first heaven has an ether that is described as having a "very great Sea, that is greater than the earthly sea" (3:1). This alludes to an atmosphere that contains the flood waters that are released onto the earth during the Great deluge, in the days of Enoch's great-grandson Noah. This passage suggests that the earth has more land mass than ocean surface coverage. It's not until the flood waters of heaven come down, that the heavenly waters will attribute to the oceans covering up to 70% of the Earth's surface, the way we see in the modern age.physicalgeography.net states that the Oceans cover approximately 70.8% of the Earth’s surface 'Treasure houses of snow' Enoch describes "treasure-houses of snow, and the angels who keep their terrible store-houses, and the clouds whence they come out and into which they go" (5:1). This description suggests a high-altitude cloud system that is much more complicated in keeping the heavenly flood waters contained. The "treasure-houses of snow" may have served to hold these flood waters in place. The word "treasure" suggests something valuable and pretty to behold. The word "store-houses" suggests a keep or containment. The word "snow" suggests something cold. Combine this into one phrase, and it is conceivable that Enoch was describing some type of ice (snow) crystal (treasure) containment field (store-houses). Today, high altitude ice crystals, in a super-cooled state, make up the Cirrocumulus and cirrostratus cloud systems. However, these modern day systems are much lighter than what Enoch describes before the Great deluge. 'Terrible store-houses' 2 Enoch further describes the treasure houses of snow as "terrible store-houses" that are kept by angels (5:1) and how "they are made to shut and open" (6:1). These ice crystal store-houses are terrible, because once this hypothetical ice crystal containment field is opened, this releases the terrible Flood deluge that wipes all land life off the face of the earth, save Noah's ark. The use of the word "store-houses" in plural form, conceive the idea of ice crystal pillars or structures, at multiple points, throughout the ice crystal containment field that is holding the deluge waters. When the terrible structures are opened by the angels, the flood waters may have poured out like a sieve. Draining from ice pillars, they could strain out in a terrible form, not the way it rains today or how it is typically depicted in Noah's ark stories. 'Treasure-house of the dew' 2 Enoch continues the experience of the first heaven where the angels show Enoch a "treasure-house of the dew, like oil of the olive, and the appearance of its form, as of all the flowers of the earth" (6:1). It would be a sight to behold, an atmosphere in the heavens made of an ice-crystal field having ice pillars all throughout, on the inside of a spherical grid, pointing toward the earth. Its appearance may have been awe inspiring. Because 2 Enoch refers to seeing a "treasure-house of the dew" in the singular sense, it could be interpreted that Enoch saw one crystal structure in particular. Olive oil in ancient times, was considered valuable and rich, something you would anoint kings with. Comparing the structure to olive oil, suggests that Enoch was beside himself and perhaps felt like a king. This treasure house may also have served as a place for Enoch to rest after taking in this immense atmospheric world. He also makes a note about its appearance, being like all the flowers of the earth. Since flowers are colorful, this structure was gleaming with colors. Crystals are prismatic and reflect every color in the color spectrum, a colorful description that reinforces the ice-crystal hypothesis. See also * One * Ten heavens Footnotes Category:First heaven